Pouring Rain Silver Lining
by WritelkeUmeanit
Summary: When something terrible happens to Henry, Emma has to face her fear and be the mom she couldn't be a decade ago. (Follow S2E10. Emma/Henry, Emma/Snow)


**Pouring Rain; Silver Lining**

Her heart was hammering away in her chest. Her stomach was filled with butterflies. How could she do this? How could she break her son's heart?

With a reassuring smile on her face, Snow gave her daughter's hand a gentle squeeze. She said everything would be okay. James said they would get through this together. They were a family. Emma nodded. She tried to pull her lips to an affirming smile, but knew she failed. Her uncertainty, her nerves, her lack of experience as a mother, these things cut her confidence in half, but that didn't matter. Time had run out. The bus pulled up across the street and the crossing guard was coming to the middle of the blacktop. Emma took one last breath and turned to find her son approaching.

Henry questioned her appearance. With a serious face, his mother said they need to talk. He followed her to a bench.

"Emma?" Henry asked after a moment of silence.

Jarred from her silence, Emma murmured, "I don't know how to tell you this."

"Is it bad?"

With a frown, Emma nodded.

"You said something happened."

Again, Emma nodded.

"It's okay. You can tell me."

"It's about Regina," Emma started carefully.

"She did something," Henry said without question.

"Henry," Emma said while taking his hands, "I'm sorry. I didn't want it to be true. I tried to believe in her. But I couldn't ignore the evidence…. She killed Archie."

The boy's eyes widened, water materializing along his lash lines. He didn't want it ot be true, but the look on his mother face left him without doubt.

Emma couldn't help tears from taking her vision. "She got into an argument with him. Ruby saw her go into his office that night. The next morning, when Pongo came running up to you, I went over there with Ruby and… well… Henry, I am so sorry."

With water drops falling down his cheeks, Henry fell into his mother's embrace.

"I confronted her… it didn't go well… she, um…"

Henry pulled back and asked, "did she hurt you?"

Emma shook her head and said, "I'm fine."

"She used magic on you, didn't she?"

Emma couldn't stop her frown. That was all Henry needed to see. "I hate her," he muttered before putting his cheek to Emma's chest.

Emma sighed a tiny breath while holding him tight.

"I want to go home," he mumbled against her jacket.

Emma nodded as she went to kiss the top of his head. In silence, she stood from the bench while holding him to her side.

XOX

Emma stayed in bed with Henry until he nodded off to sleep. With her son finally in a peaceful state, she pulled the blanket to his chin, kissed his forehead and went downstairs.

"Is he okay?" Snow asked anxiously from behind the counter where she was doing dishes. She had to keep busy, or she'd go crazy from worry and anxiety.

"No."

"Oh, Emma," Snow sighed while coming around to hug her daughter.

"I crushed him."

"Regina crushed him," Snow corrected firmly.

"I really thought she wanted to change. I thought she was trying."

"We all wanted it to be true… but sadly, no matter what they say, no matter how hard they may try, some people just aren't capable of change."

Emma nodded while pulling away.

"There was a time when I thought Regina could become a new person, a better person, but I was proven wrong. She is a scorned woman who is completely engrossed by her anger and her need for revenge… she will always be the evil queen."

Emma slid to a bar stool and Snow followed suite. "Where's David?"

"Getting some ice cream. He's hoping it will cheer Henry up."

After a moment of silence, Emma said, "I know this means Henry will want nothing to do with her. I guess this is what I've always wanted. I don't want him to have two mothers. _I'm_ his mother. It should have been that way from the start, but it wasn't… the truth is, Regina took care of him when I couldn't."

"Emma," Snow started softly, "that little boy loves you more than anything. You're his mother, and he sees you as that, there's no question."

Emma nodded a bit, her stare falling to the floor. "When we came back, he called me mom."

Snow's lips spread to a smile. "Yes he did."

"He hasn't said it since."

"He wants to. I can see it, we all can, but I think he's scared you'll reject the word. That you want him to call you Emma."

"Well, I'm his mother… he can call me mom."

"I can?"

Snow looked up while Emma turned around to find a drowsy Henry standing on the staircase.

"I thought you were asleep."

"I was trying… I didn't want you to worry."

"Oh, kid," Emma sighed while standing from her chair to meet Henry for a hug.

Henry wrapped his arms around her middle. With his chin tipped up and his eyes on hers, he said, "I can call you mom?"

Emma nodded. "If you want to. If you don't it's okay, I under-"

"I want to," Henry interrupted.

Emma smiled while bending to her knees. She reached Henry's eye level and said, "Something terrible happened today. But I'm going to do my best to make things better. That's what mothers do, right?"

With his hands on her shoulders, Henry nodded. "You won't go away again?"

Backed by a firm tone, Emma said, "Never."

_THE END_

**Review before you go? I very much appreciate it! Hope you enjoyed!**


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